Phonograph.



F. A. DE LAY. 'PHONOGRAPH.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 19. 191

PatentedFeb. 4, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

FREEERIC A. DE LAY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

PHDNOGBAPH.

Y '0 ulZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Fiuimiuio Di: LAY,

. a citizen of the United States. residing at Chicago. in the county ofCook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and usefulImprovement in lhonographs, of which the following is a full, clear.concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to iinproveineiits'in phonographs or machines forthe reproduction of sound, and has for its object the provision ofimproved mechanism for automatically repeating the reproduction of arecord and for automatically stopping the machine after the reproductionhas been repeated a predetermined number of times.

In carrying out the objects of my inven tion I contemplate the provisionoi electromagnetic devices which are automatically operated by themachine when the reproducing stylus assumes certain positions withrespect to the record. I have shown in the accompanying drawings thedevice of my invention applied to a phonograph wherein the tapered tubeor tone arm is ar ang'cd to move only in a horizontal plane and whereinY the tapered tubeis connected with a sound grooves of the record.

Tam aware of the fact that repeating mechanism has been employed inconnection with a phonograph, but such mechanism has been foundcommercially impracticable for several reasons; first, that themechanism is too complicated and expensive in view of the result orobject for which it is intended; second, that it cannot be applied tothe machinesnow in use or on the market; and third, that such mechanismcannot be employed for the reason that harm will result either to thesound reproducer or to the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. at, 15919.

Application filed. October 19, 1917. Serial 150. 197,386.

aiatically stopping the machine after a production has been repeated acertain predetermined number of times this automatic stop mechanism neednot be employed it it is desired to dispense with the same.

, The entiremechanism for repeating and for automatically stopping themachine after a record has been replayed a number of times mounteddirectly onto the motor board and is arranged so that it can be appliedto any standard phonograph. One of the important features of the presentiiivention resides in the provision of an-electric switch, eithermounted on the tone arm or having some actuating element mounted on thetone arm, the purpose of the switch being to close an electric circuitwhen the tone arm reaches a certain position with respect to the recordand to maintain the cir- 115 cuit in closed condition until the tone armassumes a certain other position with respect to the record where asecond operation of v the switch takes place and the circuit is broken.

Another important feature of the present invention is the provision ofan improved arm arranged to lift the reproducer from the record when therepeating operation takes place. This arm is constructed. and arrangedso that it can be placed upon and removed from the machine wheneverdesired without the inconvenience of manipulating any screws, clamps, orsimilar devices.

in view of the fact that the other improved features of the presentinvention may be understood more clearly by reference to theaccompanyingdrawings attention is directed to the drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a phonograph provided withthe reproducer of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a detail side elevational view of the tapered tube and soundbox-crook of Fig. 1 showing the repeating mechanism mounted. thereon;

Fig. 3 is a fragmen ry plan view of the motor board shown in L ig. 1illustrating the electric circuits employed for effecting the necessaryopenation of the elect-rormagnetic devices; I

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detailview f the automatic stop ratchet shown inFig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a, vertical" cross sectional view taken along the line 55 ofFig. 2 looking the direction indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 6 is a detail View of the electro-mas crook 15.

netic device lor applying the brake to the turn table aftera record hasheen repeated a certain predetermined number of times;

Fig. 7 is a horizontal 0305 5 wctional view taken along the line 7? o1 lg1. looking in the direction indicated b the arrows; and

Fig. 8 is a fragnmntarv jwrspia-tive view of a modified form ofswitc'nino mechanism which may he employcd for controlling: theoperation of the repeating; elei"tic-magnet Similar characters oi?reference refer to similar parts throughout the several views. Referringfirst to Fin. 1, ll illuntratca the using or frammvorlr which uupportsthe motor board 10. This motor lnlard in the class of phonographs rseated by l carries on its underside re :1 Jury motor for rotating theturntable ll. upon which the record to be reproduced is placid theturntable being mounted upon and. connected with its drive shaft in auvunit: hie man ner. The tapered tulle tone arm in ahmvn at 13 extendingdowrrwa (llfi at t and communicating with the sound cha in or horn, ifthe, phonograph he one em dovin a horn.

arrznigrci to owing; i,

c The tone a rm is i horizontal plane in the usual manner ai is providedat its free end with a crook or gooseneck 15 the outer end oi whichcarries the sound box or rq'rroducer Illi, l' hc crook 15 is arran 'edto swing in a vertical plane about thepoint 17., shown in l ic Q therebeing a pivotal coi'mectien between the crook and the tapered tulle. "lhe reproduccr is arranged to carry the usual reruns.lucinn' stylus shownat 13. B ievingringr the crook 15 in a COUHlLGYClOCl-LWlHQ direction(Fig. 2) the stylus 1.8 is moved out of enrntgement with the sound ,9;'oovcu of the record shown at 19.

Mounted around the tapered tube 13 is a b acket 20 which carries theclcctro-niannets shown at "i l hrach'et 2'20 may be constructed in anydesirable manner and may be attached to the ttpercd tube l -l in anyconvenient manner. l the drawings: 1 have illustrated the hrachct Ell asbeing! stumped from sheet material and provided with the arms shown atwhich extend around the tone arm and are roimccted at 23 to hold thebracket nccurelv in place. On account of the OHtWH'tl ta per oi the tonearm therei ma v be a tendency for the hraclml to move outwarclj' towardthe rcalricted portion of the arm and to prevent lilltll movement thebracket 2G is 'irovidcd with the forwardly extending arm E Z-lwhichabuts against the front cud of the tone arm or the crook 15. 'lhiarmature For the electic-magnets 21 is formed hv the lever 26 whichextends over the forward end of the tone arm and under the 'li'rni'rl,end of the There is no mechanical conucctinn hold the Ll'lll in planeother necessary to reproducing element oil the phonograph without anylnCOllYGHlQHiX. To hold llzc arm 26 in place no as to p rcrent lateralmovement thereof the forwardly ctdcudingr arm ifl of the bracket 20 mayhe provided with an upwardly extending retainer shown at 27. The.fin-ward end of the tone nrin r5,- forms, a fulcrum for the lever 2c not upon movement of the letthand end ol the lever (Fig. 2) in a downward,dircctioi'i the eroolr 1.5 will be swung upwardly to cause thereproducing stylus 18 ot the reprodjuo-r to disciunige the record.

Extending downwardly from the hraclnit 20 is an arm to which. is pivotedat :29 a switch member 30 (Fig. 5i li lllrl :nvilch. member carries aninsulated pin or ciiml'ac. 31 and is provided w"h a pair ole imlcn'n--tions shown at in. Fig. 7.

lip

l" llcnc lildcntatious are arranged to ciiii wim-ite with and assume aposition either on one nirhor the other of the projections shown at iirithl carried by the downvunfdly extcndimr arm 28. The arm. 28 alsocarries the contact, ll adapted to coiipe ate with the contact ill calricd by the switch mcmbein Carried by the base board in graph is 2-plate 35 to which i 36 a stop lever 37 provided who a atop ill? andextending forvardly under the lam table 11 to cooperate with an indexplate shown at 4:0. The front end of the l vcr 'IT may be provided witha handlc piccc shown at ell to facilitate setting of the levcr. in viewof the fact that the inner sound g'illuvtha oi phonograph recordsterminate in dii'icrout places with respect to theccntcra ol the recordsit is necessary to adjnut the atop lever 37 for each record played andlo l'acil' late this adjustment the index plate ill provided whichcarries, certain indicia shown in Fig. 3. The records are nmrli l withccrtain indieia (:(i Ii'Ospiihiliilg will! the indicia carried by theplate in no that the stop lever 37 may be set to its correct ponil ioneach time a. record is played by icltintif the lever to the charactm onthe plate all) corresponding to the character ma rhed on the record.

Pivotcd lo the plate 35 at 52 i; a second lever 43 provided with ahandle piece ll to Facilitate rotation of the levcr about rls pivot 42.The lever lii and the lever arc pivolrd to the plate 35 in a manner f ll'll that a certain amount oi" friction must be ltlll 7 constructionthereof.

the stud i5 is asleev'e 46 attached toor forming part of a ratchet wheel47. The ratchet wheel 47 is made of n'iaterial such that it permits theflow of current therethrough. Extending through the ratchet t? is aninsulated plu; 48 which at certain predetermined times is arranged toengage the two brushes shown at 9 and 50. To facilitate setting of theratchet J or rota tion of this member about the stud :5 the sleeve 16 isrigidly connected with the knurled linger piece 51 held in place by thescrew 52.

The lever 43 has two upwardly extending pieces 53 through which extendsa plunger 5% having pivoted thereto a pawl 55 arranged to cooperate withthe ratchet i? to advance the latter one step each time a record. isrepeated. To hold the plunger 5i normally in the position shown in Fig.the spring 56 is utilized which acts between one of the upwardlyprojecting pieces 53 and. the. pin 57 carried by the plunger.

Extending outwardly from the underside of the turntable 11 is a brakelever 58 which cooperates with certain brake mechanism to hold orrelease the turntable 11. The par: licular braking mechanism forms nopart of the present invention and it is. therefore.

thought umiecessary to go into the detailed it will sutlise to say "thatwhen the lever 58 assumes the position shown in dotted lines theturntable ii is held against rotation and thatwhen it assumes theposition shown in full lines the turn table is released and permitted tobe driven by the motor.v

Mounted upon the base board of the phonograph is av plate 59 car 'yingthe eleetie-magnets shown at 60.- The armature for the electro-niagnetsis formed by the lever 61 pivoted to the plate 59 at 62- and having itsouter end arranged to extend under the brake lever A spring 63 isemployed to hold the armature 61 in the position illustrated in Fig. 6so that when the lever 58 is moved to the full line position in Fig. 3)it will be retained in such position until the an mature 61 is attractedby the electro-magnets 60. The outer end of the armature 61 is beveled,as shown at 64, to permit move ment of the lever 58 from its dotted lineto its full line position. Carried by the plate 59 is a spring 65 whichacts upon l-llQlCNGl 5S and tends to move the lever from its full lineto its dotted line position. or from its non-braking to its brakingposition.

Referring now to the circuit connections shown in Fig. 3, 66 designatesa battery one side of which is connected by means of the conductor 67with the downwardly extending arm 28. The other side of the battery isconnected through the conductor 68 with a The brush 50 connects with theelectro-magnets 21 through the conductor T0 and also connects with thechwtro-magnets tit) through the coiulu-ctor T1. 'lhe other side of theelectro-magnets (30 is connected with the brush it) through theconductor T2. The conductor 73 serves to connect the contact 31 with theelectro-magrncts '21.

The operation of the device is as follows; Assuming the several parts tobe in the position shown in Fig. :3 and that a record is being played ythe phonograph, the tone arm 13 is moved gradually toward the centcr oithe record. the stop lever 23? having heen set before the record isplayed. The switch member 30 will engage the stop :38 when the stylusreaches the end of the record or a groove immediately adjacent the innergroove. The engagement between the switch member 30 and the stop causesthe former to swing about. its pivot to provide electrical connectionbetween the contacts 31 and 3 the indentations 32 32 and the projection33-33 serving to ai ford a quick electrical connection after the switch30 has been moved a certain prede tern'iined amount relatively to itssupport ing arm 28. The closing of the contacts 3L and 34 provides anelectric circuit as tollows: from the battery (it; through conductor 37,through arm through contacts 34 and through conductor 73. electromagnets:21, .-onductor T0, brush 50. through the ratchet 4?, brush throughswitch 69, and through conductor 68 to battery. Since theelectro-magnets 21 are thus energized the armature lever 26 is attractedand the reproduccr lifted from the record. To swing the tone arm fromits innermost position to its outermost position slightly beyond theoutermost, groove in the record any suitable springmeans may beemployed, such for example as the spring mechanism shown at T l. A verylight spring is employed so that no detrimental result-s accrue to thereproducing qualities of the phonograph. The tone arm is swungoutwardly. whereby the projection "55 of the switch member 30 engagesthe plunger 54 and is moved by s eh engagement 'to a position where thecontacts and EH are separatedf After the DJ. switch 30 has been moved tothe position illustrated in Fig. it cannot be swung about its pivot toa. further extent with the result. that the plunger 54" is moved in adirection toward the ratchet, wheel l? to advance the ratchet wheel onestep. The breaking or separation of the contacts 231 and $54 ilcinergizcstlle elect-ro-magnets 2i with the result that the reproduccr islowered and the stylus placed on the record slightly outside of theouter groove of the record. The. spring 56 then acts to return theplunger 5% to its original position. and in doing so feeds the stvlus tothe outer groove in the record. i prefer to use slowly acting magnetsfor operating the armature lever :26 so that; the reprodurirer isbrought into engagement with the record a eertain time alter theseparation of the eontacts ill and 34:. The ohjeet of this arrangementis to permit; the tone arm to operate the ratchet wheel -17 hetore thereprodueer engages the record. The reeord is replayed in the mannerahove deserihed until the ratehet wheel li' has been advanred a certainnuinher of steps su'ttieien lo hrine' the insulating plug 48 in Contactwith the hr shes -li) and 50 to preventthe passage or current throughthe ratehet whe l. .liy referring; to Fig. 3 it will he. ohserved thatthe insulating plugwill assume i posititui hetween the two hrushes afterhe plunger fi-l: has been aetuated live times. ilnw'et'ore. upon thel'i'tt'h actuation ot? the danger the eireuilv is interrupted between hehrushes :l) and 50. it the litth aetuaion ot' the plunger o-l thereprodurr is rougrhl' into engagement with the record.

l t l l as he 'einhetore deserihtah and the record repealed. When.however. the switrh n1emher ill) engages the stop 38 and closing ot the(Oliltltiis 31 and 1H; talies place the followin e eireuit will result:from battery (it; lhro eh eouduetor (li', rzontaets 31 and 34:,eontilu'l'or T3. eleetromagnets it. eondnetor Tl). eouduelor Tl.eha-troanagnets (it). and eonduetor 72 through switch to hatter). Theenergixation ot the eleetro-magnet (it) releases the hralte arm 58 withthe result that rotation ot the turnlahle-is discontinued. es'inee theeonlals 34- and ill are rinsed and the -irenil1 is provided through theelta'troanagnets it the reprodueer will he lil'ted. as hereinhehnedeserilaal. and will he returned to its original or starting positionwhere toe eireuit tor the magnets 21 will he interrupted and thereprodurer permitted to engage the reeord whieh now is stationary.

'lhe resistanee ol the elerlro-magruet (i0 is sueh that when the hrushesl.) and 50 eontat'l with the ratrhei' wheel 1 T eirruil will he providedaround the said eleelro-magnets and through the eleetromagnets it, When,however. the insulating plug: is interposed helween the brushes thisshort eireuit is not permitted and the eurrent is led through theeleeltar-magnet hi lhe linger piere 51. whieh is eonnerl'ed with thesleeve H and with the ratehet 1'7. is provided with suitahle indieiapermitting: the operator to set the ralehel wheel so that a rertainreeord mav he replirved automati- -all v an) numher ol times and thenthe maelrine automati allv slopphd. By the eillplt) -.'tllt lilol' theswileh meehanism ol my invention it will he ohserved that a eirruit isclosed when the tone arm raehes a rerlain position with respeet; to therecord and that. the eirrnit, is ht'OlU'fl wh n the. tone a e i eaehesa. certain other ositien with a, short,

respect to the record. wish it to he run derstood that the s\\'il('l!i11mechanism ma) l he varied to a eensiderahle extent without departingfrom the spirit of the present ill-- vention.

In Fig. 8 l have shown a moditied eon strnetion of electric switeh l'oreontr lling the eireuit ot the eleetro-mae uet lor li'tliu thereprtulueen in this li aure. Ht) illtts lrates a downwardly enteudiing'pin earrie l he lone arm and 81 a lever pivoted at 1- 12 to the haveheard ol the plmnogrraph. The lever 81 has two upwardly extending arms Ht and l arranged to he engaged h the pin t ll. Mounted adjaeent the arm8 is a rontart spring H7: arrane'ral to eooperate with the arm till toprodure an elertrir" "it"- euit. As the t ne arm n: whieh the pin no iseouneeted moves to the left the proieeiion 5:13 engaged and the lever htswung ahont its pivot 82 until eonneetion is oh lained helween thespring i ant the arm H3 This eonneetion serves to elose the elvetj-rieeirenit' through the eleetro inagnets which in turn lilt the rtairodueerfrom the reeord. lhe tone arm then proeerals to swing in the oppositedr'eetion until the pin St) engages the arm l and moves the lever St ina l lireetion to cause tliseiu agi'ement. of thl arm as from the spring;8.") to interrupt the cirenit. To provide a positive stop for the leverSt in a erinnter-eloeltwise direelion (Fig. 2" the pin Ht; ma v hemounted on the hase hoard and placed in the wa v ol' movement oi thelever beyond a eertain. prtaletermiued amount. (hie ot the teeth of theralehet wheel li' may he removed. it desired. and lherehv provide meanswherehv a reeord may he eontinie ouslv antomalieally repeated until thema ehine is stopped hy the operator:

llaviugg thus deserila-d my invention what t elaim as new and desire toseenre h v Letters Patent, ol' the l uited r lates is:

l. in a phonograph the provision ot a easing. a horizonlallx swingingtone arm,

a sound reprodueer ear ied h the t ne arm and arranged to engage arecord. eleelromaenetir means 'l'or lilting. the reprmlueer onl otengagement with the reeord. elerlrie switehine meehanism l'oreonlrollingr the operation of said eleelro-maenelie deviees 'arried h vthe tone arm. and means for air luatinp; said switehine merhanismearried h v the easin e of the phonograph.

L. in a. phonograph the provision oi. a hase heard, a liorimnfallrt-L\\'i]l 1"it1 5 l' tone arm. a sound reprodueer :arried h the {one armand arranged to engage a record. etertroana netie deviees for liltingthe repr0- dueer out of engagement; with the reeord. eleclrie switehingnuehanisin t'or eontirolline the operation of said electro-inaanetiedeviees carried hy the tone arm. and n'ieans for art uatin g said Switchng mechanism ti ti carried by the base board of the phone graph.

3. In a phonograph'thc combination of a tone arm arranged to swinghorizontally, a goose neck pivoted to the outer end of the tone arm,a'reproducer mounted on the outer end of the goose neck and arranged toengage a record, a lever carried by the tone rm for lifting thereproducer out of engagement with the record, an electromagnet. carriedby the tone arm for actuating said lever, and an electric-switchconsisting of two elements one mounted on the tone arm and the other ona stationary part of the phonograph for controlling the operation of thesaid electro-magnet.

4c. In a. phonograph the provision of a tone ar arranged to swing in ahorizontal plane, a reproducer carried by the arm and arranged to engagea. record, electro-mag netic devices for lifting the reproducer from-therecord, and a switch for controlling the operation of said devices,comprising an element mounted on the arm, two other elements onstationary parts of the phonograph, said switch being arranged to closean electric circuit through said electromagnetic devices when theelement on the arm engages one of the other elements, and to maintainthe circuit in a closed condition until the element on the arm engagesthe other of said two elements.

5. In a phonograph the provision of a tone arm arranged to swinghorizontally, a

reproducer carried thereby and arranged to cooperate with the record toproduce sound, electro-magnetic. devices for lifting the reproducer fromthe record, an electric switch for controlling the operation of saiddevices mounted on the tone arm, and a pair of switch actuating memberscarried by stationary parts of the phonograph, one of said members beingarranged to close the switch and the other to open the switch uponengagement of the switch therewith,

6. In a phonograph the prov sion of a horizontally swinging tone arm, areproducer, carried thereby and adapted to 006perate with the record toproduce sound, electro-magnetic devices for lifting the reproducer fromthe, record, an electric switch for controlling the operation of saiddevices mounted on the tone arm, and a pair of ad justable switchactuating members, carried by stationary parts of the phonograph, one ofsaid members being arranged to close the switch and the other to openthe switch upon engagement of the switch therewith.

7.1a 3a phonograph the provision of a horizontally swinging tone arm, areproducer carried thereby, and arranged to cooperate .with a record toproduce-sound, elec- ..tro-ma "netic devices for lifting the'reprodeceirom the record, an electr c switch for controlling theoperation of said devices mounted on the under side of the tone armintermediate its ends, and a pair of switch actuating members arrangedto actuate the switch when the tone arm assumes certain positions withrespect to the record.

8. a phonograph the provision of a reproducer arranged to engage arecord, a record turn table, a brake for the turn table, means forlifting the reproducer from the record and for repeating thereproduction of the record, and electro-magnetic devices for actuatingthe brake lever to stop rotation of the turn table, saidelectro-magnetic devices being controlled by the said repeating means. i

9. In combination with a phonograph, a horizontally movable tone arm, aswitch mechanism carried by the tone arm, an adjust-able contactarranged to be advanced-by the tone arm, a circuitbreaking membercarried by the contact, a pair of brushes arranged to engage saidcontact, a lifting electromagnet mounted on the tone arm and connectedwith said switch member, a brake control electro-magnet, circuitconnections for said switch-member, said brushes and saide'lectromagn'cts, and arranged so thatupon operation of the switchmember the circuit through the lifting magnet may be broken, and so thatwhen the circuit breaking member is disposedbetwecn the brushes thebrake control electromagnet will be (51161, gized'.

10. In combination with a phonograph a be advanced by the tone arm, acircuit breaking member carried by the contact, a pair of brushesarranged to engage saidcontact, a lifting eiectromagnet, a brake controlelectromagnct, circuit connections for said switch member, said brushesand said electromagnets, and arranged so that upon operation of theswitch member the circuit through the lifting magnet may be broken andso that when the circuit breaking member engages the brushes the brakecontrol electromagnet will be actuated.

11.A phonograph comprising means for rotating a record, repeatmechanism, a .stop mechanism comprising an electromagnet, a batteryconnected in series with said electro magnet, a circuitshunting saidelectromagnet, and means controlled by said repeat mechanism for openingsaid shunt circuit and thereby causing said electromagnet to actuatesaid stop mechanism. 12. A phonograph comprising a tone arm, a sound boxpivoted on said tone arm, means for lifting said sound box relative tosaid tone arm, means for moving the tone arm across the face oft-herecord being played, to the beginning of the record, an adjustable stopfor detern'aining the time of operation of said lifting means and saidmovin meuns fu second aujnstubie stop for causing mid 'iifting means tolower said sound box when it has been moved To the beginning of iherecord. a stop mechanism, and means UMITYUUM! by said last named stopfor eaushi stop niechanisn'i to operate after the ms been prayed anydesired number 123. A )hma'imra 3h 00m arisin means fer iv Q o mm-m :1record, a repeat mechanism comemg :m eieetremagnet, a stop mechanismaiming 2m eieetromagnet, a tone arm,

and n sm'iiieh ism actuated by the movemen I 2. arm for eiosing aneieeti'nilliifiii; musing neth (if said mag-- 15 nets" in. Witin my namethe; 1917 hereunto subscribe of September, A. D.

IS A. DE LAY.

